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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bear — the animal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. perch — the fish
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rule — government
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. march — the month
  13. fall — the season
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. march — the month
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rule — a law
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. ball — a great time
  21. march — music
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. fall — to drop

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com